2016 is Coming. If You're a Republican, Hug an Hispanic!

Republicans in Congress are suddenly obsessed with talking about immigration reform. They are determined to get their proposal out before the President speaks on his ideas.

what eye thynk:   I have a real problem writing about this topic since I have fairly conservative views on immigration.  

• I believe that if you came here illegally as an adult--go home and wait your turn.  
• If you were brought here illegally as a child and have gone on to high school and college--you can't be faulted for what an adult in your life did 15 years ago.  Welcome, now go apply for citizenship.  The Dream Act was written for you.
• If you came here just to have your baby, again, go home and take your baby with you.  He shouldn't get automatic citizenship just because he was born here.  He needs a citizen parent first.
• If you want to become a citizen, learn our language.  

Harsh?  Absolutely; but at least I'm honest about it. And, as much as I disliked Mitt Romney, statements he made like the one about making things so tough that illegals "self-deport", while tasteless, were also honest and presented a true picture of Republican attitudes toward immigrants and immigration.

Then the 2012 election happened.  Republicans looked at the results, compared them to the country's demographics and realized they are in trouble.  Now, suddenly, they want to be seen as immigrant friendly.

In December, Peggy Noonan wrote an article for The Wall Street Journal that addressed the leadership and policy problems of the Republican Party going forward.  In it she described a post-election speech given by Senator Marco Rubio where he fixated on the term "middle class".  Her comment also speaks to the current Republican interest in immigration reform. (I have replaced the term "middle class" with" immigration" in the following quote.) She wrote, "Repeating that phrase mantra-like will not make people think you're concerned about (immigration), it will only make them think you're concerned about winning (immigrant votes).  It is important to remember in politics that people aren't stupid."

Voicing support for immigration reform is a start and I'm open to intelligent discussion on the subject.   But creating immigrant friendly policies simply in the hope you will gain Hispanic votes, is not the same as showing concern for Hispanic voters. Really, people aren't that stupid.